Victims’ group questions U.S. Catholic Church ties to Irish sex abuse scandal

As the national body of Catholic bishops launched its spring meeting at a River Walk hotel Wednesday, a handful of protesters were denied access to deliver a letter of concern about pedophile priests in Ireland, a problem they believe the bishops have so far ignored.Addressed to Cardinal Francis George, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the letter asks the bishops to condemn the child sex abuse scandal recently made public in an Irish government report — and reveal any ties to the U.S. Catholic Church.

The letter questions specifically whether pedophile priests from Catholic orphanages, boarding schools and other residential programs in Ireland were sent to similar institutions in the United States only to contribute to the pedophile priest scandal here, which became widely known in 2001.“No matter how many meetings they have, they’re still not addressing the sex abuse issue,” said Barbara Garcia Boehland, San Antonio director of the advocacy group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

A San Antonio police officer blocked her entrance to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where about 225 bishops began meeting to discuss changes to the English translation of the Latin Mass, among other matters.

Garcia Boehland was among five protesters standing with signs by the hotel for about an hour. After the officer, Sgt. Jim Smith, warned her against trespassing and declined to deliver the letter himself, she said she’d mail it to Cardinal George. The standoff had her questioning the bishops’ policy of welcoming abuse complaints and building a more transparent environment for such concerns.Sister Mary Ann Walsh, conference spokeswoman, was offered a copy of the letter in a request to speak to George. She said later she gave it to Bishop Blase Cupich of South Dakota because he is chair of the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People.Walsh said Cupich’s schedule at the conference did not permit an interview but said he promised his committee would review the letter and forward it to the National Review Board, a lay body overseeing sex abuse prevention efforts.Walsh added that international priests applying for service in the United States now undergo a more rigorous background check that takes account of differences in culture and law enforcement.The protesters Wednesday were also promoting a project by Massachusetts-based BishopAccountability.org that is collecting claims of child sex abuse by priests at Catholic residential institutions in the United States. The initial report mentions Garcia Boehland’s son, a former student at St. Anthony’s High School Seminary, who was molested by Oblate priest Carlos Lozano. Her son committed suicide several years later.